World Children’s Day is the United Nations’ global day of action for children, and by children. It celebrates the anniversary of the adoption of the Convention of the Rights of the Child, reminding the world that children are individuals with their own rights, ideas and needs.
The theme of this year is "Inclusion, For Every Child". Children are encouraged to make their voices heard, express their concerns and become agents of change, advocating for a more equal and inclusive world for every child. As part of this inclusion, numerous initiatives invite them to ‘take over’ adult roles on World Children’s Day to promote their participation in society and shine a spotlight on issues that matter to them.
Some of these ’take over’ initiatives invite children to become teachers for a day, designing their own lesson about topics that affect them, and teaching it to others. The right to education is essential for every child, and as such it is covered in Articles 28 and 29 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child, as well as Sustainable Development Goal 4, which aims to “ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.”
On this day, the IJJO would like to remark that children in conflict with the law are among the most vulnerable members of society, especially vulnerable to being at risk of social exclusion. Providing them with a quality and inclusive education can be the determining factor to help them become fully integrated members of society. No judicial measure should affect their right to education. Governments should allocate all the necessary resources to guarantee these children not only have access to the same quality education as any other child, but also to specific educational measures that take into consideration their vulnerable situation and look to promote their inclusion and participation in society.